by John D. Benedict

1922
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
P. 400

MARY C. BEZION

One of the pioneer citizens of Nowata county is Mrs. Mary C. Bezion, residing onher farm two miles southwest of Delaware, hale and hearty at the age ofseventy-three years. A native of Kansas, she was born in Wyandotte county, onthe 14th of April, 1849, a daughter of Jim and Nancy (Washington) Secondine.Her father, who was chief of the Delawares, was born in Ohio. He was withGeneral Fremont during the Mexican war and his picture has been preserved in thearchives at Washington, D.C. Mrs. Bezion was but fourteen years of age when herfather died. Her mother was half Wyandotte and half white, and was a native ofUpper Sandusky, Ohio. She was married to Jim Secondine in Kansas and her deathoccurred while residing in the Cherokee Nation, thirty-nine years ago.

Mrs. Bezion received her education in the schools of Kansas and is a veryintellectual woman. She came to Indian Territory with the first Delawareemigrants and located at Grand River, where she resided but a short time.Subsequently she removed to Coodys Bluff and from there came to her presenthome, two miles southwest of Delaware, where she has one hundred andninety-eight acres, a fine home and oil holdings, from which she drawsroyalties. Although she rents her farm to a tenant, she still resides on it,and administers all of her own affairs. Mrs. Bezion has met many prominentpeople and when just a girl was introduced to President Lincoln and his wife inFort Leavenworth, Kansas. President Lincoln presented her with a ring which shetreasured greatly, but which she lost in a fire in later years. Her father wasmuch respected by President Lincoln. In 1902 Mrs. Bezion went to Washington,D.C. and for seven weeks was the guest of President Roosevelt at Oyster Bay.The late Senator Quay was her cousin and while east she was also his guest.She was feted and greatly honored and is the proud possessor of a beautifulbrooch given her by President Roosevelt. She made for him a wonderful beadedbuckskin coat.

Mrs. Bezion has been married three times. Her first husband was CharlesArmstrong and she has a son by this marriage, Solomon, who is fifty for years ofage and is engaged in farming near his mother. Thompson Smith was her secondhusband, and Stephen Bezion was her third husband. He died five years ago. Mr.Bezion was a Delaware of French extraction. He was farmer of note and was wellknown throughout the county in fraternal circles, being affiliated with theWoodmen of the World and the Knights of Pythias.

Mrs. Bezion is a great lover of history and takes a deep interest in thetraditions of her people. Among her treasured possessions is a picture of thefirst Delaware Baptist church, erected at Alluwe, Nowata county, and she had thedistinction of being the first person baptized in the New Cherokee Nation.Although she is seventy-three years of age Mrs. Bezion is enjoying the best ofhealth and in 1922 expects to make a trip to Canada to visit friends. 

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